[5thgear]

4 strokes 15 years ago were way more reliable and 2 stokes needed new pistons once per year and 4 strokes every 12 years.

In the last few years since 1998 a new breed of light weight racing 4 strokes have come into the market. These bikes are all super high maintenance hand gernades. There light weight and fun to ride and were built to imitate the feeling and light weight of a ?????????? 2 stroke.

Now a lot of people in the last 4 years are reverting back too 2 strokes because there easier to maintain and cheaper too rebuild. There center of gravity is also way lower making them better in tight woods.

The TS 200 is a good 2 stroke. I'd buy it and right away put in a new piston and crank seals too be on the safe side. They have really long piston skirts so you don't get alot of slapping at top/bottom dead center. Pistons on 2 strokes usually break off piston skirts from wear and tear. Doing just the rings might help boost compression but to make it reliable replace the whole piston. It's only around $200 for a top end kit and around $45 for the crank seals. Crank seals get old and dry up. There the reason why most 2 strokes seize and theres no warning signs , so replace them before they wear out.

 

[5thgear]

It was never a big seller in this country. Everyone back when the bike was new wanted a 250 or bigger 4 stroke because they wanted a maintenance free bike.It didn't sell very well just bad timing. Parts are still available.

Just make sure it really was rebuilt. I hear that shit all the time. O yeah , everything is new , mint... rebuilt by my brother 4 years ago ....... . One man's mint is another man's sour milk.

If it is completely rebuild you shoul have a good bike.

Just remember with 2 strokes and this is the key to long engine life.

LET IT WARM UP !!!!!! Cold seizure is when you get on it and pin it from cold . The piston expands quicker than the cylinder and bang , you have 4 nice lines going up and down the sides. Called a 4 point seizure.

Start the bike and let it idle until the rad is warm , then drive slowly for 1 minute or ?? You will know instantly when it is warm because it starts making power. If you do this all the time it will run for a long time.

 

[5thgear]

The real old 2 strokes had higher clearances and longer pistons. They didn't slap around as much ( ring dance ) . That and an old MX 175 Yamaha could run for 10 years on one piston if you really wanted to . That engine is still used in the Yamaha Blaster 4 wheeler there very tough. But they only put out around 18 to 22 hp at best compared to the modern 250's in the 45 to 55 hp range.

If the cylinder is damaged it's usually caused by ;

1 ) broken ring , broken skirt, bottem end bearing coming apart , leaky seal or something went thru the engine damaging the cylinder.

2) Wrong jetting caused a seizure

3) Holding it wide open for any lenght of time.

4) Ring dance. Where the piston slaps back and forth at TDC or BDC and makes the cylinder hour glass shaped.

5) normal wear and tear

This is why you can bore most the old bikes 6 to 10 times over bore.

 

[5thgear]

He has reciepts for the rebuilt as of Oct 5 this month. Starts up first kick from cold. Sounds like this bike is not aircooled (You said wait for the rad to be warm)

It's 100% liquid cooled.